Leishmania protein KMP-11 modulates cholesterol transport and membrane fluidity to facilitate host cell invasion
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ABSTRACT: The first step of successful infection by any intracellular pathogen relies on its ability to invade its host-cell-membrane. However, the detailed structural and molecular understanding underlying lipid membrane modification during pathogenic invasion remains unclear. In this study, we show that a specific Leishmania donovani (LD) protein, KMP-11, forms oligomers that bridge LD and host macrophage (MΦ) membranes. This KMP-11-induced interaction between LD and MF depends on the variations in CHOL and ERG contents in their respective membranes. These variations are crucial for the subsequent steps of invasion, including (a) the initial attachment, (b) CHOL transport, and (c) detachment of LD from the initial point of contact through a liquid-ordered to liquid-disordered membrane-phase transition. To validate the importance of KMP-11, we generate KMP-11 depleted LD, which failed to attach and invade host MΦ. Through tryptophan-scanning mutagenesis and synthesized peptides, we develop a generalized mathematical model, which demonstrates that the hydrophobic moment and the symmetry-sequence-code at the membrane-interacting protein domain are key factors in facilitating the membrane phase-transition and, consequently, the host-cell-infection process by Leishmania parasites.
SUBMITTER: Achinta Sannigrahi
PROVIDER: S-SCDT-10_1038-S44319-024-00302-7 | biostudies-other |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other
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